Geology Reports⌕ Search

SEARCH · Geology Reports

Results for “Salmonid”

Search indexed USGS publications on groundwater, aquifers, geologic maps, mineral resources and earthquakes. Explore source records by subject and place.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources
USGS2005

Survival and migration behavior of juvenile salmonids at McNary Dam, 2004, Final report of research

During 2004, the USGS Columbia River Research Laboratory conducted a study at McNary Dam using radio telemetry to estimate passage and survival parameters of juvenile salmonids. Our primary objective was to estimate these parameters under ambient environmental and operational conditions, and thus project-wide treatments were not implemented. The primary dam operation consisted of “biop” spill, where spill occurred at night between 1800 and 0600 hours, and no spill occurred between 0600 and 1800 hours for the majority of our study period. During the spring study period, we radio-tagged and released 1,896 yearling Chinook salmon and 1,888 juvenile steelhead. During the summer study period, we radio-tagged and released 1,919 subyearling Chinook salmon. All fish were tagged using gastric techniques to implant transmitters weighing 1.58 g for yearling Chinook salmon, 1.93 g for juvenile steelhead, and 0.96 g for subyearling Chinook salmon. Minimum fish sizes were based on a 6.5% tag:fish weight ratio, and the size of tagged fish represented about 91%, 100%, and 17% of the population, respectively for yearling Chinook salmon, juvenile steelhead, and subyearling Chinook salmon. About 60% of radio-tagged fish were released 10 km upstream of McNary Dam at Hat Rock State Park, Oregon, with the remainder released as control groups 400 m downstream of the dam.

Oregon, Washington↗
USGS2004

Assessment of smolt condition: Biological and environmental interactions -- The impact of prey and predators on juvenile salmonids

The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) has funded the Assessment of Smolt Condition project since 1987. During that time the project changed frequently to meet the information needs of fish managers by conducting studies throughout the Columbia River basin. Past research has examined the influence of smolt physiological development and health on migration rate; differences in development and migration rates of smolts of hatchery or wild origins; and the impacts of hatchery practices on smolt development. The Smolt Assessment Project will not continue beyond 2004, and here we report on the final study of the project in which we used bioenergetics modeling to investigate predation on juvenile salmonids by northern pikeminnow, smallmouth bass, and walleye in the lower Columbia River reservoirs.

Oregon, Washington↗
USGS2011

Long term retention, survival, growth, and physiological indicators of salmonids marked with passive integrated transponder tags

To track individuals in situ, over 12 million salmon and trout have been marked with passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags in the Columbia River Basin, USA. However, few studies have examined long term tag retention as well as tag effects on juvenile salmon and trout. We marked juvenile coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch (N = 207), steelhead (anadromous rainbow trout) O. mykiss (N = 221), cutthroat trout O. clarkii (N = 202) and bull trout Salvelinus confluentus (N = 180) with 12, 19, or 23 mm PIT tags and examined tag retention, survival, growth, and physiological performance over a six month period in a laboratory environment. PIT tag retention rates were high for coho salmon (100%), steelhead (95%), cutthroat trout (97%), and bull trout (99%), regardless of tag size. Survival was also high for coho (99%), steelhead (99%), cutthroat trout (97%), and bull trout (88%) and did not vary among tag sizes. Short term individual growth rates for coho salmon marked with 12 mm tags were significantly higher than those marked with 19 mm and 23 mm PIT tags. Likewise, steelhead trout individual growth rates were lower for fish marked with 23 mm PIT tags followed by 19 and 12 mm tags. Conversely, long-term growth rates were positive and not affected by tag size. There were no significant effects of tag size or marking on coho gill Na+, K+, -ATPase activity (µmol ADP x mg protein–1 h–1) and plasma osmolality (µmol kg–1) or bull trout hepatosomatic indices. Our study suggests that marking juvenile salmonids with PIT tags results in high retention with little effect upon their survival, growth, and important physiological indicators regardless of tag size in a laboratory environment.

American Fisheries Society Symposium↗
USGS2017

A simulation method for combining hydrodynamic data and acoustic tag tracks to predict the entrainment of juvenile salmonids onto the Yolo Bypass under future engineering scenarios

During water year 2016 the U.S. Geological Survey California Water Science Center (USGS) collaborated with the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) to conduct a joint hydrodynamic and fisheries study to acquire data that could be used to evaluate the effects of proposed modifications to the Fremont Weir on outmigrating juvenile Chinook salmon. During this study the USGS surgically implanted acoustic tags in juvenile late fall run Chinook salmon from the Coleman National Fish Hatchery, released the acoustically tagged juvenile salmon into the Sacramento River upstream of the Fremont Weir, and tracked their movements as they emigrated past the western end of the Fremont Weir. The USGS analyzed tracking data from the acoustically tagged juvenile salmon along with detailed hydrodynamic data collected in the Sacramento River during the winter/spring of water year 2016 in the vicinity of the western end of the Fremont Weir to assess the potential for enhancing the entrainment of Sacramento River Chinook salmon onto the Yolo Bypass under six different Fremont Weir modification scenarios. Each modification scenario consists of a notch or multiple notches in the Fremont Weir which are designed to divert a portion of the Sacramento River onto the Yolo Bypass when the Sacramento River is below the crest of the Fremont Weir. The primary goal of this entrainment analysis was to investigate how the location of the notch or notches in each scenario affected the entrainment of juvenile Chinook salmon onto the Yolo Bypass, and to predict the notch location or locations that would result in maximum entrainment under each modification scenario. Stumpner et al.’s (in review) analysis of hydraulic data collected during the 2016 study period showed that backwater effects in the Sacramento River created significant variability in the relationship between Sacramento River stage and the proportion of the Sacramento River flow that we expect to be diverted onto the Yolo Bypass under the modification scenarios. Because of this variability, accurately evaluating the entrainment potential of possible notch locations for each scenario required combining historic abundance data for juvenile Sacramento River Chinook salmon with historic hydraulic data for the Sacramento River in the vicinity of the Fremont Weir, so that the entrainment estimates would reflect the covariance between Sacramento River stage, Sacramento River discharge, and juvenile salmon abundance within the historic record. We used a Monte Carlo simulation framework to combine the high resolution hydrodynamic data and acoustic tag track data collected in 2016 with historic juvenile salmon abundance, Sacramento River stage, and Sacramento River discharge data from a period spanning water years 1996-2010 to assess the entrainment potential of different weir modification scenarios under historic conditions. The scenarios we simulated consisted of four single notch configurations, and two multiple notch configurations in the vicinity of the western end of the Fremont Weir. For each notch configuration the 15-water-year entrainment simulation was repeated for 63 possible notch locations in the vicinity of the western end of the Fremont Weir. This approach allowed us to assess the effect of notch location on the entrainment of juvenile salmonids onto the Yolo Bypass for each of the six notch configurations that we evaluated. The entrainment simulations showed that the location of each notch configuration had a major impact on the entrainment for each scenario; the predicted entrainment of some scenarios varied by as much as 400% based on where the notch (or notches) was (were) located in the study area. All of the single notch scenarios performed best when they were located within a 330 ft (100 meter) long section of the Sacramento River bank adjacent to the western terminus of the Fremont Weir (Table 1). Both of the multiple notch scenarios performed best when their upstream notches were located about 660 ft (200 meters) upstream of the western terminus of the Fremont Weir (Table 1). The results of the entrainment simulations indicated that for each notch configuration the same notch location produced near-maximum entrainment regardless of run abundance timing; this result suggests that there are areas within the study are where a notch (or notches) can be sited to achieve maximum entrainment for all runs (barring significant behavioral or physiological differences between runs). In addition, the simulation results indicate that for each notch configuration the same location is expected to produce nearmaximum entrainment for both wet water years and dry water years. Based on the results of the entrainment simulation we make three general recommendations for strategies to improve the entrainment potential of a notch in the Fremont Weir: 1) Comparisons between the maximum entrainment potential for each scenario suggested that total entrainment of winter run, spring run, and fall run salmon onto the Yolo Bypass can be increased by increasing the amount of water entering a notch when the Sacramento River stage is between 19 ft and 22 ft NAVD88; this could be accomplished by lowering notch invert elevations or by adding a control section to the Sacramento River to raise stage for a given discharge. 2) The relationship between Sacramento River stage and entrainment for each scenario indicated that entrainment efficiency for each scenario declined significantly once Sacramento River stage exceeded bankfull (approximately 28.5 ft NAVD88). This effect was likely due to inundation of the floodplain between the Sacramento River and the Fremont Weir; Stumpner et. al (In Review) have documented a reduction in the strength of the secondary circulation and centralization of the downwelling zone in the Sacramento River when this floodplain is inundated. Therefore, increasing the height of the river right bank of the Sacramento River to coincide with the height of the Fremont Weir is recommended to increase entrainment at higher stages. 3) Bathymetric features upstream of notch openings appeared to have a major impact on the entrainment potential of the simulated notches. For this reason we recommend taking care to avoid siting notches immediately downstream of bank features that alter the sidewall boundary layer, and we expect that smoothing the bank bathymetry upstream of a notch will enhance entrainment. Finally, we caution that the entrainment simulation was based on the behavior of large hatchery smolts, so it is likely that our results will be sensitive to any differences in behavior and physiology between these hatchery surrogates and naturally migrating juvenile salmon.

California↗
USGS2025

Water temperature analysis of the North Branch Au Sable River, Michigan, and implications to salmonid populations

Ambient stream water temperatures affect salmonid movement and survival with fish actively seeking thermal refugia from warming waters. This study sought to investigate the potential role of water temperature in the perceived decline in native Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis and non-native Brown Trout Salmo trutta populations in the North Branch Au Sable River by fishers and reported to resource managers in 2018 and 2019. Water temperature was analyzed at nine stations within the North Branch Au Sable River in 2021 and 2022. A total of 61,390 temperature observations were collected with 58.0% exceeding the optimal growth threshold for Brook Trout of 16°C; 37.9% exceeding the movement threshold for Brook Trout of 18°C; 3.4% exceeding the upper limit for positive growth for Brook Trout of 23.4°C; and 28.6% exceeding the optimal growth threshold for Brown Trout of 19°C. The maximum daily water temperatures recorded for each year were 27.58°C in 2021 and 26.89°C in 2022. The availability of cold water thermal refugia is critical to the viability of native Brook Trout populations in the North Branch Au Sable River and its tributaries. Efforts should be taken to increase ambient stream water temperature monitoring year-round and to determine the size, frequency, and availability of thermal refugia within the watershed to increase the likelihood of a system resilient to the impacts of a warming climate.

Michigan↗
USGS2022

Species distributions and the recognition of risk in restoration planning: A case study of salmonid fishes

One of the risks faced by habitat restoration practitioners is whether habitats included in restoration planning will be used by the target species or, conversely, whether habitats excluded from restoration planning would have benefited the target species. With the goal of providing a quantitative decision-making approach that represented varying levels of risk tolerance, we used multiple probability decision thresholds (PDT) to predict the range of occurrence for three anadromous fishes ( Oncorhynchus spp.) in a watershed in southwestern Washington, USA. For each species, we compared the predicted range of occurrence to the distribution used for restoration planning and quantified the amount of habitat blocked by anthropogenic barriers. Coho salmon ( O. kisutch ) had the broadest predicted range of occurrence (3061.6–6357.9 km; 0.75–0.25 PDT), followed by steelhead trout ( O. mykiss ; 1828.8–2836.8 km) and chum salmon ( O. keta ; 1373.9–1629.1 km). For each species, the predicted range of occurrence was similar or greater than the distribution used for restoration planning, suggesting that the current plan may exclude habitats that would benefit each species. Coho salmon had the greatest percentage of habitat blocked by anthropogenic barriers, followed by steelhead trout and chum salmon, respectively. Modeling species distributions at multiple risk-tolerance scenarios acknowledges uncertainty in restoration planning and allows practitioners to weigh the ecological benefits and budgetary constraints when considering locations for restoration. To effectively communicate restoration science to support practitioners in decision-making, we developed an R Shiny application online user interface available at: https://shiny.wdfw-fish.us/ChehalisRiverBasinSalmonidRangeOfOccurence/ .

Washington↗
USGS2008

Hydrological response to timber harvest in northern Idaho: Implications for channel scour and persistence of salmonids

The potential for forest harvest to increase snowmelt rates in maritime snow climates is well recognized. However, questions still exist about the magnitude of peak flow increases in basins larger than 10 km2 and the geomorphic and biological consequences of these changes. In this study, we used observations from two nearly adjacent small basins (13 and 30 km2) in the Coeur d'Alene River basin, one with recent, relatively extensive, timber harvest, and the other with little disturbance in the last 50 years to explore changes in peak flows due to timber harvest and their potential effects on fish. Peak discharge was computed for a specitic rain-on-snow event using a series of physical models that linked predicted values of snowmelt input to a runoff-routing model. Predictions indicate that timber harvest caused a 25% increase in the peak flow of the modelled event and increased the frequency of events of this magnitude from a 9-year recurrence interval to a 3-6-year event. These changes in hydrologic regime, with larger discharges at shorter recurrence intervals, are predicted to increase the depth and frequency of streambed scour, causing up to 15% added mortality of bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) embryos. Mortality from increased scour, although not catastrophic, may have contributed to the extirpation of this species from the Coeur d'Alene basin, given the widespread timber harvest that occurred in this region. Copyright ?? 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Hydrological Processes↗
USGS2026

Increasing artificial light at night enhances salmonid predator foraging efficiency in an urbanized lake

Artificial light at night (ALAN) poses a threat to ecosystems globally. It includes both direct and indirect light, or skyglow, which occurs when ALAN scatters in the atmosphere, extending beyond its original source. We analyzed ALAN trends in Lake Washington, WA, from 2014 to 2023 using Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) nighttime light measurements, evaluated the relationship between in situ and satellite measurements, and modeled predator search volumes for a juvenile salmon predator, cutthroat trout ( Oncorhynchus clarki ), as a function of ambient light and turbidity conditions. Open water regions experienced significant increases in ALAN, while nearshore areas primarily showed no or negative trends, revealing the role of skyglow in shaping open water light environments. Using a visual foraging model for cutthroat trout, we found that juvenile salmon at the shallow southern pelagic site experienced light 28 times brighter, resulting in a 168% greater predation vulnerability than those at the northern site. In the Ship Canal, a narrow corridor for outmigrating salmon, predator search volumes were 249% higher than at the southern site. These contrasts in predation vulnerability demonstrate how local conditions influence predator–prey dynamics and provide critical insight for targeting mitigation of both nearshore and distant light sources.

Washington↗
USGS2018

Effects of summer air exposure on the survival of caught-and-released salmonids

Despite the success of catch‐and‐release regulations, exposing fish to air during release has emerged as a growing concern over the past two decades. We evaluated the effect of air exposure during midsummer on survival of Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri , Bull Trout Salvelinus confluentus , and Rainbow Trout O. mykiss exposed to catch‐and‐release angling. Fish were sampled by angling on Palisades Creek (August 2016), Sawmill Creek, and the Main Fork of the Little Lost River, Idaho (July−August 2017). After capture, fish were kept underwater while they were measured and individually tagged. Anglers, in groups of two to four, caught study fish and gave them an air exposure treatment of 0, 30, or 60 s. Single‐pass backpack electrofishing was then used to recapture tagged fish and estimate relative survival. In total, 328 Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout were sampled (0 s: n = 110; 30 s: n = 110; 60 s: n = 108), 278 Bull Trout (0 s: n = 92; 30 s: n = 94; 60 s: n = 92), and 322 Rainbow Trout (0 s: n = 103; 30 s: n = 106; 60 s: n = 113). The majority of fish were caught using artificial flies (≥92%) and were hooked in the corner of the mouth, lower jaw, or upper jaw (≥78%) in all three species. No difference in survival was observed among air exposure treatments for all three species. Results from the present study along with those from prior field studies of air exposure times during angling suggest that mortality from exposing fish to air for ≤60 s is not likely a population‐level concern in catch‐and‐release fisheries for these species.

Idaho↗
USGS2008

Performance of a prototype surface collector for juvenile salmonids at Bonneville dam's first powerhouse on the Columbia River, Oregon

During April-July 2000, we radio-tagged and released juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to evaluate a prototype surface flow bypass at Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River. The mock bypass, called a prototype surface collector (PSC), had six vertical slot entrances that were each 6 m wide and 12 m deep. The PSC was retrofitted to the upstream face of Bonneville Dam's First Powerhouse. Our objectives were to: (1) assess species-specific differences in movement patterns and behaviour of fish within 6 m of the face of the PSC, (2) estimate the efficiency and effectiveness of the PSC and (3) evaluate factors affecting the performance of the PSC. We found that 60-72% of the fish, depending on species, detected within 6 m of the PSC entered it. Of the fish that passed the First Powerhouse at turbines 1-6, 79-83% entered the PSC. Diel period was a significant contributor to PSC performance for all species, and day of year was a significant contributor to PSC performance for subyearling Chinook salmon. The PSC was twice as effective (%fish/%flow) as the spillway, passing 2.5:1 steelhead and subyearling Chinook salmon and 2.4:1 yearling Chinook salmon per unit of water. If fully implemented, the PSC would increase the percentage of fish that pass the First Powerhouse through non-turbine routes from 65-77% (without the PSC) to 76-85% (with the PSC), depending on species. Published in 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

River Research and Applications↗
USGS2021

Integrated tools for identifying optimal flow regimes and evaluating alternative minimum flows for recovering at-risk salmonids in a highly managed system

Water resource managers are faced with difficult decisions on how to satisfy human water needs while maintaining or restoring riverine ecosystems. Decision sciences have developed approaches and tools that can be used to break down difficult water management decisions into their component parts. An essential aspect of these approaches is the use of quantitative models to evaluate alternative management strategies. Here, we describe four integrated decision support models for evaluating the effect of flows on two life history stages of Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ) and Steelhead ( O. mykiss ). We then use constrained nonlinear optimization to identify optimal flow regimes for the water year type with the least available water. These flow regimes were then used by managers to develop candidate minimum flow strategies that were evaluated using forward simulation and sensitivity analyses. We found that optimal flow regimes differed markedly from existing regulations and varied among species and life history stages. However, evaluation of tradeoffs among the four competing objectives indicated relatively minimal losses for most objectives when the optimal flows were based on equally weighting the objectives. Sensitivity analysis indicated that water temperature was the primary driver of estimated outcomes and suggested that managers consider alternative means of managing temperatures. Decision sciences have created multiple analytical tools and approaches that simplify complex problems, such as water resource management, and we believe that water resource management would benefit from their increased use.

Oregon↗
USGS2021

Capacity of two Sierra Nevada rivers for reintroduction of anadromous salmonids: Insights from a high-resolution view

Historically, anadromous steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss and spring-run Chinook Salmon O. tshawytscha used high-elevation rivers in the Sierra Nevada of California but were extirpated in the 20th century by construction of impassable dams. Plans to reintroduce the fish by opening migratory passage across the dams and reservoirs can only succeed if upstream habitats have the capacity to support viable populations of each species. To estimate capacity in the Tuolumne and Merced rivers of the central Sierra Nevada, we used a high-resolution approach based on remote sensing and dynamic habitat modeling. Our results suggested that for both species in both systems, sediment grain sizes would support widespread spawning and the water temperatures, depths, and velocities would generate ample capacity for fry and juveniles. However, the unregulated Merced River was consistently too warm for adult Chinook Salmon to hold in the dry season prior to spawning, while the regulated Tuolumne River maintained a cooler, more stable thermal regime with a capacity for thousands of holding adults. In our high-resolution approach, we also discovered several specific physical controls on life history expression, including thermal constraints on the timing of spawning, hydraulic prompts for downstream migration of fry, divergence of the hydraulic niches of steelhead and Chinook Salmon, and a key but uncertain role for thermal tolerance in adult Chinook Salmon. Our results suggested that steelhead reintroduction could succeed in either system and Chinook Salmon could succeed in the Tuolumne River if passage strategies account for large numbers of migrant fry and juveniles driven downstream by winter storms and snowmelt. The Merced River appeared too warm for adult Chinook Salmon, which raises questions about the current limited understanding of thermal tolerance in holding adults. Our study shows how a high-resolution approach can provide valuable insights on specific limiting factors that must be addressed for reintroduction to succeed.

California↗
USGS1989

Preliminary characterization of a virus causing infectious anemia among stocks of salmonid fish in the western United States

Since 1982, anemias occurring in stocks of yearling coho ( Oncorhynchus kisutch ) and chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ) have been associated with serious losses at hatcheries in the Pacific Northwest, USA. The anemia is often accompanied by infections with external fungus (e.g. Saprolegnia) or the bacterial pathogens Cytophaga psychrophila or Renibacterium salmoninarum (Holt and Rohovec 1984, Leek 1987). The losses associated with the anemia are thought to be caused by these secondary infections. Blood smears that were made from anemic fish and stained with Giemsa or pinacyanol chloride showed erythrocytic inclusions ranging in size from 1 to 8 um and varying in number per cell. Thin sections of infected red blood cells (RBC) examined by electron microscopy revealed virus particles approximately 70 nm in diameter. The virions were scattered in the cytoplasm of the RBC or contained within membrane bound organelles. These virus particles were morphologically distinct from the iridovirus, erythrocytic necrosis virus (ENV), which is also associated with anemia (Holt and Rohovec 1984, Leek 1987). Evidence suggests that the etiological agent of this new anemic disease, termed erythrocytic inclusion body syndrome (EIBS) by Leek (1987), is a previously undescribed virus infecting salmon. The purpose of this study was to experimentally transmit the disease to healthy fish, to determine the blood parameters associated with infection, and to investigate the nature of the virus associated with EIBS.

Book chapter↗
USGS1971

Salmonid viruses: Infectious pancreatic necrosis virus

Epizootics occurred among young trout in France, and the behavior and symptoms suggested infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN) virus. Specimens preserved in glycerol were sent to the U.S.A. for virological examination. Virus was isolated from four of five lots, but neutralization with antiserum against ATCC VR299 strain IPN virus was incomplete. Electron microscopy, bioassay, histopathology, and serology were used to identify the viruses. The results showed the agents to be new strains of IPN virus with distinctive antigenicity and heretofore unknown lability at 4°C and marked vulnerability to a single freezing and thawing. A method of improving stability in storage was found. Electronmicrographs, tabular and graphic data are presented.

Archiv Fur Die Gesamte Virusforschung↗
USGS1970

Salmonid viruses: Double infection of RTG-2 cells with Egtved and infectious pancreatic necrosis viruses

Egtved and infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN) viruses were applied at high multiplicity alone and in combination to RTG-2 cells in liquid medium. Procedures were used which selectively suppressed one or the other virus, and the yields were determined after 64 hours at 15°C. The viruses showed an increase of 280 to 450 times the immediate post-adsorption level. Plaques of IPN and Egtved viruses showed some differences which can be helpful in distinguishing between the two agents. Detailed methods and results are given.

Archiv Fur Die Gesamte Virusforschung↗